Wilson



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

S. O. MCKINNEY.

FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. O. MCKINNEY.

FOLDING MACHINE.

No. 485,130. Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL O. MCKINNEY, OF WEST TROY, NENV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM S. EARL, IVASI-IINGTON \VILSON, ARTHUR H. WILSON, AND

EDGAR K. BETTS.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,130, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed eptember 11, 1890- Serial No. 364,686- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SAMUEL O. MCKINNEY, of West Troy, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Myimprovementisparticularlydesignedfor use in machines intended for folding over the IO edges of the different plies or pieces of material comprised in collars and cuffs, such as are generally worh in connection with shirts and like articles.

I will describe a machine embodying my improvement, and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top view of a machine embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are vertical sections illustrating certain parts in different positions. Fig. 6 is a side View of the rear portion of the machine, illustrating a modification. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the end portion of two or more plies of a collar.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a table or platform, preferably made of iron and here shown as mainly of rectangular form. It may be supported in any suitable manneras, for instance, by legs a, fastened by screws or otherwise to any suitable bench.

Beneath the table or platform some heating apparatus is used. In the present instance the heating apparatus consists of a pipe 0, extending beneath the table or platform, provided with an opening at one end to receive gas and air, closed at the other end, and perforated along its upper portion, so that the gas and air may escape in jets and be burned beneath the table or platform. This pipe may be fitted to a bracket a extending from the under side of the table and fastened in place by means of a shoulder a," and nut a The shoulder 0. forms part of a chamber 0, which receives the air and gas and communicates with the pipe O.- Gas enters the chamber through a nipple c, to which a flexible tube is fitted, and air enters through perforations in the chamber under control of a shell G which is adjustable lengthwise of the nipple c to regulate the, amount of air passing through it. v

D designates a presser, which is arranged above the table or platform and is combined therewith, so as to be capable of rising and falling. In the present instance it is shown as consisting of a piece of iron having a straight front edge, ends extending at right angles to the front edge, and a tang-like portion 01, extending rearwardly over a similarlyshaped tang-like portion a, comprised in the table or platform A. In the present instance the rear extremity of the tang-like portion d of the presser D simply rests upon the tang-like portion a of the table or platform and is prevented from moving laterally by a pin 1), which rises from the table or platform into a hole N, with which the presser is provided, and by means of brackets (0 which extend upwardly from the forward portion of the table or platform.

Provision is afforded for holding the presser in its proper position by engaging with it a rod E, which extends through a bearing a provided on the table or platform A, has a screw-thread formed on its rear portion, and is combined with a nut E, which impinges against the said bearing and serves to adjust So and hold the rod, and consequently hold the presser.

The forward end of the presser has combined with it means for raising and lowering it, while the rear end rests upon the table or platform. These means, as here shown, comprise a rock-shaft F, extending over the table or platform and supported in the brackets a From this rock-shaft extend arms f, which are pivotally connected with the upper ends of 0 links f, which at the lower ends are pivotally connected with lugsf with which the presser is provided.

The rock-shaft is provided with any suitable handle vvhereby it may be operated. In 5 the present instance such handle consists of an 11 pwardly-extending arm f having a block of wood f forming a hand-piece, attached to its upper extremity. By pulling the handpiece forward the presser will be raised, and I00 by pushing it rearward the presser will be forced toward the table or platform A.

The presser D is provided with plate-like portions D, which at the front edges conform to the outline of the two ends of a collar. These plate-like portions D may advantageously be made in the form of plates attached to the under side of the presser D in such position that their forward ends will project slightly beyond the presser. They are illustrated in the drawings as thus constructed.

The present machine is organized for operating upon two collar ends. Of course it would be no departure from my invention to adapt the machine foroperating upon the ends of cuffs or upon other portions of collars or cuifs.

G designates a folder. two plate-like portions G, which at the rear ends conform to the two ends of a collar, and

consequently to the forward ends of the plate-' like portions D of the presser D. These platelike portions G are adapted to rest upon the table or platform forward of the plate-like portions D of the presser D and are capable of sliding rearward beneath the plate-like portions D' of the presser for the purpose of moving the collar ends beneath the plate-like portions-of the presser. As here shown, the plate-like portions G of the folder G are made of plates, which are adjnstably connected by screws g with longitudinally-slotted portions of arms g. connected at the rear with a cross-bar 9 which is free to rock and also to slide forwardly and backwardly within slots at", which are provided in brackets a which extend upwardly from the tang-like portion of the table or platform A. The sliding motion of the cross-bar affords provision for the sliding of the plate-like portions G of the folder rearwardlybeneath the plate-like portions D of the presser. The rocking motion of the cross-bar allows the folder to be swung upward and downward away from and to the table or platform. As here shown, the arms g of the folder are precluded from moving laterally by means of brackets (1 adj ustably connected to the top of the presser D by means of screws passing through longitudinallyslotted horizontal portions of these brackets and entering tapped holes in the presser. Preferably the folder will be normally sustained in an elevated position, so that its plate-like portions G will be elevated above the table or platform A. A simple means for so supporting the folder consists in a spring 9 connected with across bar or plate 9 extending between the arms g of the folder. A lever I-I, consisting of a bent rod fulcrumed at the ends in the brackets a and bent forward intermediately of the ends and then bent parallel to the end portions, bears upon the arms 9 of the folder. One of the forwardlybent portions of the rod forming this lever is provided with a forwardly-extending hand- As here shown, it has These arms g arepiece h, whereby the operator may depress the lever and so produce a downward movement of the folder against the resistance of the spring 9 The means which I have shown for producing a sliding movement of the folder consist of arock-shaftI, journaled in the tang-like portion of the table or platform A, an arm 2', extending upwardly from said'rock-sliaftand entering a hole in the cross-bar g and an arm '5 extending rearwardly from the rockshaft. Preferably this arm i will be connected by a rod g with a treadle, so that the operator of the machine may produce the sliding movement by his foot.

In operating the machine two or more plies of material for a collar are laid upon the table or platform A with their edge portions overlapping one of the plate-like portions D of the presserD. Thi'shavingbeendone,theoperator depresses the lever H, thereby lowering the folder upon the collar end. lVhile the folder is maintainedinadepressed condition itismoved rearward by depressing the treadle which is connected to the arm 7?. The rearward movement of the folderwill carry the end portion of the plies of material beneath the plate-like portion of the presser, and in this movement the edge portion of the plies of material will be' 7 folded over upon the upper surface of the plate-like portion of the folder. The folding having thus been completed, the treadle will be released and a spring i, or a weight combined with it, will cause the arm 2' to move forwardly and force the folder forward. Of

course there should be no great amount of pressure exerted upon the presser during the forward movement of the folder. After the forward movement of the folder it will be allowed to rise under the influence of the spring 9 The folded plies of material will be left between the plate-like portion of the presser and the table or platform. The operator now presses back the hand-piece on the rock-shaft F, therebyimp'elling the presser forcibly downward toward the table or platform. He maintains the pressure upon the presser for a sufficient length of time to cause the folded-over edge to be pressed flat upon the table or platform. The heated condition of the table or platform facilitates this operation. The folding having been completed, the force exerted upon the presser is relaxed and the pieces of material are removed from beneath the presser. After the edge of one end of the collar has been folded in this way the edge of the other end will be folded in the same way, in connection with the other platelike portion of the presser and corresponding plate-like portion of the folder.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 6 differs but slightly from that illustrated in the previous figures. Here the rock-shaft I is provided outside the brackets a with upright arms '5, which are pivotally connected to the two rods 9 of the folder by means of pins 1,

passing through said arms and rods and into slots in the brackets a If preferred, a single pin might pass through both arms '3, both rods 9, and both brackets (1, The object of the slots in the brackets is to limit the motion imparted to the rods. m

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In a machine for folding the edges of collars and like articles, the combination of a presser, means for moving the presser vertically, a folder movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser, and means, substantially such as described, for moving the above-named presser down upon the fold of the material after the folder shall have been removed from beneath the presser, substantially as specified.

2. In a foldin g-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same, and a folder movable toward and from the table or platform and movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser, substantially as specified.

3. In a folding-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same and having plate-like portions whose edges correspond to the outline of the parts to be folded, and a folder mov able forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser and movable toward and from the table or platform and having plate-like portions whose edges also conform to the outline of the parts to be folded, substantially as specified.

4:. In a folding-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same, a folder movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser, and also movable toward and from the table, and a spring or equivalent counter-balance for the folder, substantially as specified.

5. In a folding-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same,a folder movable forward and from the same, a rock-shaft, arms extende ing from the rock-shaft, links connecting the rock-shaft with the presser, and a folder movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser, substantially as specified.

7. In a folding-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same, a folder movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneath the presser, arock-shaft, an arm extending from the rock-shaft and engaging with the folder, and an arm for oscillating the rock-shaft, substantially as specified.

8. In a folding-machine, the combination of a table or platform, a presser movable toward and from the same, and a folder movable forward and backward for carrying material to be folded beneaththe presser and comprising a cross-bar which is fitted to rock and slide relatively to the table or platform, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL O. MCKINNEY.

Witnesses:

ANTHONY GREF, C. R. FERGUSON. 

